Days as a Spiritual Mentor in American Comics Chapter 5725 - 748: X Royal Family: Fierce Battle (15)

Astonishment engulfed The Avengers, who had just narrowly escaped, and indeed everyone bearing witness to the scene.

The Red Orchid Factory wasn't merely a factory on Earth's scale; it was an entire planet constructed from machinery, possessing a mass and size comparable to Mercury. Its sophisticated gravitational system even allowed it to defy the sun's pull at such proximity. Yet, this colossal factory-planet was unceremoniously hurled toward the sun.

No one could fathom how Magneto accomplished such a feat.

Even the mutants were left speechless, with the notable exceptions of Professor X and Apocalypse. These two understood that for Magneto, a physical body was not a necessity but rather a constraint. Freed from corporeal form and existing solely as a magnetic field, Magneto became the undisputed sovereign of magnetism.

The state-of-the-art space stabilizers, designed to maintain order, shattered within moments of his touch. The entire factory was wrenched from its position in space and sent hurtling towards the sun as if it were a mere baseball.

A chilling thought emerged: if Magneto attained such immense power by shedding his physical form, did this signify his demise?

Before any relief could be felt regarding Magneto's supposed death, a psionic storm swept across the globe. Professor X's amplified mental broadcast conveyed a single, devastating message: "Magneto is dead, and I can no longer distinguish right from wrong!"

For one full minute, all thought ceased on Earth. Humanity collectively lost sixty seconds, an event unprecedented since the dawn of creation.

The deadlock was finally broken not by Professor X's faltering reason, but by an incandescent light that erupted as the factory plunged into the sun's core—a light utterly anomalous.

The sun's core temperature is sufficient to obliterate all matter. However, against all odds, a certain substance, upon encountering this extreme heat, unleashed its final reserves of power.

A Source Energy Crystal from the Shi'ar Empire brazenly absorbed the sun's core heat. As the blinding light receded, a resplendent teleportation portal materialized in the sun's heart. Professor X jolted back to awareness.

"Shi'ar Empire!!!"

A collective roar echoed across the planet. The realization dawned: this was an elaborate, meticulously crafted trap.

The local Iron Man stood frozen, eyes fixed on the shimmering portal. He was the first among the Prime Universe Avengers to grasp the situation, recalling the urgent warnings from the Iron Man of the Central Universe regarding the dubious origins of the technology and materials involved.

In that dire moment, the local Iron Man longed to succumb to unconsciousness, but the urgency of the situation disallowed such a luxury. He had to use this precious time to transmit signals back to Earth, ordering the immediate mobilization of all battle suits and equipment, and directing the Earth government to raise defenses to the highest possible alert level. The Shi'ar Empire's arrival boded ill.

True to expectation, mere seconds after the portal's appearance, the Shi'ar Imperial fleet burst forth, clearly poised for an ambush. Upon recognizing the leading figures, Thor immediately raised Mjolnir. "Retreat! All of you, retreat quickly!!!"

"Retreat to where?!!" the local Iron Man bellowed back. "We're in the solar system! Earth is right behind us—there's nowhere to fall back!!!"

Thor's eyes widened in sudden understanding. They weren't defending their territory; the Shi'ar Empire had launched a direct assault on their very stronghold. Calling it a stronghold felt insufficient; it was akin to a weapon being pressed against the commander's temple.

He swung his hammer, unleashing a bolt of lightning at the advancing army, but its impact was minimal. Their adversaries, having anticipated the initial assault, had implemented robust protective measures. Aware that the first wave would inevitably provoke a fierce response, they had erected a collective Divine Power Shield. Thor's mighty strike merely caused the shield to flicker, leaving no lasting effect.

"This is grave trouble," Thor gritted out, listing the threats. "Royal Guard, Divine Power Users, Dual God-level combatants, Source Energy Cannons..."

"Stop them! We have to stop them now!!!" the Main Universe Iron Man urged, his voice laced with desperation. He didn't just shout; he was the first to charge into the fray, with the Prime Universe Avengers close behind.

They understood the formidable strength of the Shi'ar expeditionary force, yet retreating was not an option. The destruction of this universe's Earth before their very eyes would irrevocably tarnish the reputation of the Prime Universe.

The Avengers of the local universe recognized their own duty to defend their home, but their numbers were woefully insufficient, rendering them seemingly insignificant against the Shi'ar Empire's overwhelming might.

In a swift turn of events, the mutants unexpectedly entered the fray. Apocalypse, without a word, charged forward with fists ready, compelling the other mutants to follow suit. After all, Clarkia was their home too. Should the alien invaders raze Earth, they would be left with nowhere to go. Thus, a unified front was formed!

"You knew this would happen, didn't you?" Professor X's gaze chilled as he fixed upon Shiller. "You were aware the Shi'ar Empire was coming."

"It was the only way," Shiller responded. "You once inquired how the Central Universe navigated such intractable conflicts. The answer is simple: present a formidable external threat, and all opposing forces will unite."

"Erik is gone," Professor X stated, his voice heavy. "I can no longer sense him. He has vanished from this world."

"Had this been in the past, I might have casually remarked about resurrection being possible, and it wouldn't have been mere platitudes from a place of detachment; I myself have been resurrected multiple times. However..." Shiller paused, collecting his thoughts. "My friends have imparted upon me the understanding that even with the possibility of resurrection, the loss of a loved one is simply not acceptable."

"The reason you cannot sense him is that he has already been integrated into the system at the Red Orchid Factory," Shiller explained, gesturing openly.

"But the Red Orchid Factory was consumed by the Sun..."

"That specific section of the factory did indeed transform into a Teleportation Portal, but the Mother Module itself did not," Shiller clarified. "Little Crystal was expended there, and before the Sun Core could engulf it, the Teleportation Portal activated, and the Mother Module should have made its transit to the other side."

Professor X ceased his movements, responding, "But the Shi'ar Empire will not simply disregard this."

"Precisely. However, they won't destroy it. They will claim it for their own research."

"What value does it hold for their research?"

"With all due respect, if the Shi'ar Empire possessed the capability to construct Nimrod independently, they would not be imparting their technology and Crystal to humans, nor would they permit humans to undertake such a task. Their actions weren't solely a ploy to trick humans into opening the Teleportation Portal; it stems from their inherent inability to achieve it themselves."

"While human technology may lag behind the Shi'ar Empire in many regards, it possesses a singular, potent strength: the creation of superweapons capable of annihilating Earth. Humans excel at destroying their own kind. Consequently, the crucial element humans contributed to the Mother Module is of immense significance, and the Shi'ar Empire would not readily relinquish such invaluable research assets."

"But they are only interested in the Mother Module's technology. If they discover it, they will not spare Erik."

"Shouldn't you be asking if Erik will spare them?" Shiller retorted with a sneer. "If the Mother Module had not achieved sentience, why would Magneto resort to such drastic measures to dismantle the factory?"

A sudden clarity dawned upon Professor X. "Nimrod? Your objective is Nimrod?"

"Hacking involves two critical factors: the skill of the hacker and the robustness of the defense system. Magneto's consciousness serves as the sharpest spear; with the factory's destruction, the Mother Module lost its power source and sustained critical damage, rendering its defense systems inoperable and removing its strongest shield. Under these compromised conditions, Nimrod's self-awareness, already in the process of production, is extraordinarily vulnerable – a simple target."

Professor X was utterly astonished. Shiller's intricate strategy was unequivocally aimed at Nimrod, and it appeared he was on the verge of success.

Imagine Magneto's spirit fused with Nimrod's formidable body – what terrifying entity would emerge?

Such a prospect was beyond comprehension, unimaginable. If Shiller's audacious plan were to materialize, the Mutant Kingdom would gain an eternally invincible ruler, forever secured from harm.

Yet, no joy bloomed in Professor X's heart, for he sensed Shiller harbored intentions that extended far beyond this. In fact, Shiller's ultimate ambitions might not even end there. What lay beyond that horizon, Professor X could not begin to fathom.

At that precise moment, a voice resonated within Professor X's mind: "Professor, we have returned!"

"Good heavens, Logan, are you unharmed?" Professor X inquired urgently. "You... where is Scott???"

Within Professor X's psychic domain, silence prevailed until Mystique's voice emerged: "He chose to confront the Mother Module. His consciousness remained within the factory; it is possible he has already..."

Professor X braced himself for sorrow, but a sudden realization struck him: if Magneto was not truly dead, then perhaps Cyclops, who entered the Mother Module, was not dead either, his consciousness potentially still intact.

Then, he froze once more. The dawning awareness was that if Cyclops was also within the Mother Module, the entity potentially obtaining Nimrod's body might not be Magneto, but Cyclops himself.

To be exact, Magneto would bequeath this very body to Cyclops. Scott Summers, after all, was his most treasured successor, a son held dear with profound affection.

Professor X's eyelids slowly descended, his fingers tightening onto the table's edge until the tips of his fingers drew blood. The tempestuous emotions within him threatened to overwhelm his very being and the other consciousness.

He nearly lost control of his brainwaves, an event that would have plunged the entire human race on Earth into darkness for two crucial seconds. Just then, a hand gently rested upon his shoulder.

"Calm yourself, Professor," Shiller's voice soothed. "Why wouldn't Cyclops endeavor to save Magneto?"

Professor X opened his mouth, prepared to retort that they had been adversaries for the vast majority of their lives, but the words caught in his throat. This was because the conscious entities within his Spirit Domain, violently churned by the emotional storm, were already succumbing to profound agitation.

With no alternative, Professor X dislodged these entities and tasked Moira with initiating the revival plan for the totem. Once they had departed, Professor X turned his gaze toward Shiller. A chuckle escaped Shiller's lips as he declared, "You, Professor, are the ultimate hostage."

"Magneto will, because of your presence, offer Nimrod's form to Cyclops. And Cyclops, likewise influenced by you, will exhaust all avenues to rescue Magneto. From this moment onward, the X-Men and the Mutant Brotherhood, these long-standing adversaries, will likely cease their hostilities. Would you not agree with this assessment?"